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Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Japanese Radish Cake

I was worried at first with so many daikon seedlings that Lenay sowed while we were away for Rayyan surgery almost 3 months ago sprouted. Germination was 100%. I don't think we can possibly harvest them all. I was only planning a row of daikon but Lenay made 3 rows. She and Ilhan must be very bored while we were away. Now I have stop complaining because it has help fill in the gap until other winter vegetables are starting ready to be harvested end of winter or early spring. What is wonderful about daikon compare with other radish variety is that it does not need to be harvest quick because it does not become woody quickly. Moreover, it grow so big very fast. If you have a pet and worried about them trampling on daikon seedlings, don't worry, they are almost stomp-proof. We grow daikon at the back of our fence on a reserve land and one day a driver who wanted to test his car during dusk drove through those young daikon seedlings which just sprouted true leaf. Those seedling look pretty bad and I thought they won't survived as some were totally squash out. I don't say those word out aloud because Lenay is having tears in her eyes since it is her project patch. She planted and hill up the ones that were uprooted. Surprisingly they did grow pretty good (photo as evidence).

I have only started growing plants on this area last August so the soil is still very hard. Since I can see white roots on top of the soil, I reckon those daikon is already having a very hard time to push into the soil for bigger and longer root growth. I pull several out last weekend and it was not an easy thing to do. We have to be careful or the roots breaks in the soil and you have to dig out the rest part of the root which is not easy since the soil is very hard. Avoid pulling the top but hold on to the roots and try to turn them right and left gently to pull them up. Some of the daikon has reach their limit to try breaking the soil to grow some roots and start to become forky. Daikon can grow at least 40~50cm long and like potato, it is a good soil-breaker. Because of that, I have already planned to grow garlic on this row of daikon after I finished harvesting this long white root.

Fresh home-grown vegetables are the best thing but eating daikon many times a week will probably make you wish for other stuff as well. So last weekend project was about searching and trying new recipe with radish other than soup or stir-fry daikon with anchovies which what has been prepared in our kitchen since the daikon harvest started in our garden. If you have a glutton of radish and run out of ideas to prepare it, here is a recipe that I tried from Terry Tan's The Thai Table cooking book ~ Steamed Radish Cake (Khanom Chai Tau). I am not a very good student for following step-by-step instruction in cooking but it is not difficult to prepare.

Steamed Radish Cake (Khanom Chai Tau)

Makes one 200gram cake

Ingredients:

Daikon 900gram , peeled and grated

Rice flour 400gram

Tapioca flour or Corn flour (cornstarch) 55 gram

Water 125ml

Salt 2tsp

Cooking oil 2Tbsp

Vegetable Stock cube 1, crushed

Place grated radish in a blender and blend until fine. Set aside.

Combine both types of flour and sift into a mixing bowl. Gradually add water and mix well. Mixture should be thick and moist. Add salt, oil, stock cube and radish. Mix until well blended.

Transfer mixture to a non-stock, medium-sized pot. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, or until cake is firm. Remove from pot and steam over high heat for 30 minutes. Radish cake is ready when an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Set aside to cool before use.

A very healthy vegetarian cake.

Note: Some people needs to get used of the strong daikon flavour before having this. When I asked my husband what does it taste like? Taste like you are eating daikon...hmmm...I would probably used 2 vegetable stock cube next time. This is our first taste of Steamed Japanese Radish cake and I think it goes well eating it together with sambal ikan bilis (chili anchovies). Looks like kuih bingka when its cooked.

17 comments:

I think these are the little cakes I've had at dim sum that I absolutely love! I'll have to try making one...I thought it was super complicated...well, it probably is but maybe with the recipe in hand I can make an attempt! Good job digging out those daikon!! L

I am trying to grow daikon in my garden for the first time this year, but I don't think I will have a glut - I have only about 12 plants, because I can't afford the space for more.Your recipe looks good, by the way.

What an interesting recipe! I would really like to have a taste. I can't really imagine what it tastes like. I am not a bit fan of Radishes but this does look like it could be something for me! It is funny how I understand a few words whenever you write in Malay like that Sambal. I know that ikan is fish! I speak a little Indonesian and those two languages seem to be very close! I am from Germany and I have spend 3 months in Yogyakarta 2 years ago. Thanks for your comment on my blog! :) There is hardly someone reading it though. I guess I should decide weather to write in German or English. Thank you for checking by anyways! :)

Charmcitybalconygarden~ I am not a good cook especially if trying a dish that I have to read and have never tasted before. It is easy to prepare, I believe you are a better cook than me.

Veggie Gnome~ Those carrots at the back are doing a good job of shading those slow-growing parsnip at the back row. Hopefully parsnip won't mind that much and help break the soil.

Heart-in-asia~ Daikon are very cold-hardy vegetables.

Angelina~ I am not sure cos I don't eat much radish before this. Now I am curious does eating dim sum usually with lobak cake? Probably I ate it before but did not notice that I was eating radish....hahaha...

Mark~ I think 12 daikons is a good number for 2 people. You will have 12 meals for it which is good. If you let them grow big, one daikon will probably take a few meals to finish it.

Kelli~I have been freezing our chilis. We have 3 bags full of it now.

Beam~Indonesian and Malay are the same language is just the dialect made it a bit different. The recipe is a fun thing to try. I am not a radish fan either. Trying to find good recipes that would make me a fan of daikon ;-). You pick many good words while you stayed in Yogyakarta.

Mangocheeks~Hope you like it!

Tina~It was my first vegetarian cake, a very interesting experience making it. I would say some will like it, some will not:).

I was first introduced to Daikon radishes when I was in school and working in the produce department. I really liked to snack on them. So sweet and juicy. Your recipe makes me want to grow them now. What a great idea. Thanks.

I like the looks of radish cake in this way - spicy and oniony! Our Cantonese radish cake is equally good when you can find it at dim sum restaurants. Those daikon radishes look gorgeous in the ground!

We have started gardening for about 4 years now since I had my first pregnancy scan with Rayyan and he was diagnose with cardiac defect.We want our children to know where veggies come from and eat vegetable which is chemical free. Furthermore taste the true flavour of heirloom vegetables and fruits. Our gardening adventure started in Adelaide (blog archive 2010-2012) with Mediterranean / Warm Temperate Climate. Now we grow our own food in Tropical Climate in a green zone 20 less kilometre away from the Malaysia capital city Kuala Lumpur.